4. BRIEF ABOUT THE PROJECT
Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is a proposed 9900 MW power project of
Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) at Madban village of
Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra.
If built, it would be the largest nuclear power generating station in the
world by net electrical power rating.
On December 6, 2010 an agreement was signed for the supply of nuclear
fuel for 25 years in the presence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
French nuclear engineering firm Areva S.A. and Indian state-owned
nuclear operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India signed this multi
billion valued agreement of about $9.3 billion.
It is proposed to construct 6 European Pressurized Reactors designed
and developed by Areva of France, each of 1650 megawatts, thus totaling
9900 megawatts.
5. BRIEF ABOUT THE PROJECT
These are the third generation pressurized water reactors (PWR).
Estimated cost of this project is around 100,000 crore (US$18.2 billion).
This type of reactor is not currently operational anywhere in the world.
Though the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission had expressed concerns
about the safety of the computer system in this reactor, but Finland has ordered one
such reactor nonetheless.
The cost of building the plant is about Rs 20 crore/MWe capacity compared with Rs
5 crore/MWe for a coal power station.
The cost of electricity from this power plant will be below Rs.4 (US$0.07) per
Kilowatt hour.
6. About the project
Approximately all the six units of 1650 MWe each will be
constructed in a twin-unit mode in phased manner and
implemented in a period of 15-18 years.
Life Span of Each Plant-The guaranteed life of the proposed
plant is 60 years.
Type of Fuel-This plant will be “PWR-type”, based on enriched
uranium fuel.
7. Technical and Economic Reasons for
Selection of Jaitapur Site
The Site Selection Committee recommended setting up a nuclear power
plant at Jaitapur, based on the suitability of meeting criteria like which
include availability of land vs. population density, available source of
cooling water , seismicity, safe-grade elevation at site (flood analysis etc),
environment aspects and proper access for transportation of heavy/over-
dimensional equipment to plant site.
The site selection for is carried out by the Site Selection Committee,
notified by the Government of India which selects site for setting up a
nuclear power plant.
The Jaitapur site is not considered earthquake-prone. As per seismic
zoning map of Government of India, Jaitapur site falls within zone III.
The longitude and latitude of the land covered for Jaitapur nuclear
power project are given below:
Latitude of JNPP site: 16° 34’ 38” N to 16° 36’ 29” N
Longitude of JNPP site: 73° 19’ 02” E to 73° 20’ 48” E
10. The proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is located at the west
coast with an average elevation of 90 feet (27 m).
This project will spread over 968 hectares of land.
Jaitapur is on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri district in the
southwestern part of Maharashtra, India.
The district is a part of Konkan in Western Ghats. It is also known as
one of the best ports from the Neolithic era.
In 2006, India applied to the UNESCO MAB for the Western Ghats to
be listed as a protected World Heritage Site. The Sahyadri Mountain
range forms the eastern boundary of the Konkan, and the Arabian Sea
marks the western boundary. Jaitapur was one of the important ports
in ancient and early medieval times.
JAITAPUR AS A LOCATION
11. Benefits
The project will augment electricity generation in the
country, in a benign and environment-friendly way,
which is the need of the hour.
Development of areas around project site.
Direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Contribution of National Power Corporation of India
Limited (NPCIL) in social and community
development of surrounding areas, especially nearby
villages, in the field of education, health and
infrastructure facilities.
14. Environmental effects of nuclear power and geological issues
The reactors are European Pressurised Reactors(EPR) which are not
operational yet anywhere in the world, and the safety and reliability of
the technology is highly questionable. The EPR is based on the same
principle as older reactors and, being more powerful, presents even
more potential for catastrophe
This Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 which allows only the
operator (NPCIL) to sue the manufacturers and suppliers. Victims will
not be able to sue anyone.
ISSUES RELATED TO THE PROJECT
15. • Though Government of Maharashtra state completed land
acquisition in January 2010, only 33 out of the 2,335 villagers
have accepted compensation cheques as of November 2010.There
has been fierce opposition to the project from the people of
Jaitapur and the surrounding areas. Land has been forcibly
acquired in most cases
• Jaitapur being seismically sensitive area, the danger of an
earthquake has been foremost on the minds of people.
• The presence of two major creeks on the proposed site has been
ignored while clearing the site.
• The probability of a tsunami, and the damage thereof, has not
been taken into account while clearing the site on the backdrop of
recent earthquake and followed by Tsunami in Japan that caused
serious damage to its atomic power plant at Fukushima added
many arguable questions to this issue are raised.
16. • It is not clear where the nuclear waste emanating from the site will be
dumped. The plant is estimated to generate 300 tonnes of waste each
year
• Since the plant will use the sea water for cooling and then release warm
water in the Arabian Sea, which will destroy marine life
• According to the report by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) the
Government of India is not fully transparent with its own citizens and
hiding facts about huge negative impact on the social and
environmental development of the Konkan region
• Jaitapur is in the Konkan region is considered to be one of the world’s
biodiversity hotspots and is home to thousands of species of plants and
animals, many of which are threatened. This project will put this entire
ecosystem at considerable risk.
• According to calculations based on available information show that the
investment cost for the Jaitapur plant would be in excess of Rs. 20 crore
per MW, which would result in an electricity tariff of not less than Rs. 9
per unit at current prices.
17. Legal issues
Social impact
Environment
Human rights
Other issues:
Earthquake zone
Nuclear safety
Indias weak regulatory environment
Lack of transperancy
18. Threat to the unique ecosystem
The Jaitapur is located in a seismically sensitive
region.
It comes under Zone IV as per the earthquake
hazard zoning of India.
This zone is called the High Damage Risk Zone.
According to Greenpeace, “Over the past 20 years
alone, there have been three earthquakes in Jaitapur
exceeding 5 points on the Richter scale.
The Konkan region’s rich natural resources are
already under severe threat on account of several
“development” projects along the Western Ghats.
19. Continued..
Water discharged from the plant will be 5 °C hotter
than the ambient sea temperature. But “even a 0.5 °C
of continual thermal stress will lead to mortality of
marine species.”
The BNHS has also mapped 407 hectares of
mangrove vegetation around a 10 km-radius of the
nuclear plant.
The report also holds that the Environmental Impact
Assessments (EIAs) conducted in the region by the
government are flawed “almost without exception.”
20. Continued..
Gadgil also laments the utter disrespect shown by
the state agencies for civil rights in pushing for these
“development” projects.
The EIA report wholly ignores the serious
environmental problems posed by nuclear power,
including potentially catastrophic accidents and
routine radioactivity exposure through effluents and
emissions.
21. Debate
Debate on nuclear power project at Jaitapur is ongoing on various
levels. Environmental effects of nuclear power and geological issues
have been raised by anti nuclear activists of India against this power
project.
A public hearing on the environmental impact assessment (EIA)
Report, prepared by NEERI was conducted by Maharashtra
Pollution Control Board, on behalf of Ministry of Environment and
Forests on 16 April 2010, at the plant site. The public hearing
became controversial as the EIA report was not delivered for study
to 3 of the 4 Gram panchayat (local village bodies) a month in
advance.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed against the
government's civil nuclear program at the apex Supreme Court. The
PIL specifically asks for the "staying of all proposed nuclear power
plants till satisfactory safety measures and cost-benefit analyses are
completed by independent agencies.
22. Proponents
Proponents are advocating the Jaitapur Project as safe,
environmentally benign and economically viable source of
electrical energy to meet the increasing electricity needs of
India.
They believe that nuclear power is a sustainable
energy source that reduces carbon emissions and
increases energy security by decreasing India's dependence
on foreign oil.
According to former chairman of Atomic Energy
Commission Anil Kakodkar, the Jaitapur site is the best as
it fulfilled the technical and scientific norms needed for a
nuclear power plant. It is proposed that the waste
generated at the this nuclear power plant be recycled.
25. Many protests have been carried out by local people against the proposed nuclear
power plant. On 29 December 2009, 12 January 2010, and 22 January 2010.
When the government authorities visited Madban for distribution of cheques in
lieu of compulsory land acquisition, the villagers refused to accept the cheques.
Government officials were shown black flags, denied any co-operation in carrying
out their activities. 72 people were arrested on 22 January 2010 when people
protested against the compulsory land acquisition.
On December 4, 2010, protests became violent when over 1500 people were
detained from among thousands of protesters, who included environmentalists
and local villagers.
Members and leaders of the Konkan Bachao Samiti (KBS) and the Janahit Seva
Samiti were also detained.
On April 18, 2011, one man was shot and killed by police and eight were injured
after protests turned violent
PROTEST
26.
27. The District Collector had imposed Sec 37(1)(3) of
the Bombay Police Act, 1951 prohibiting gatherings
of more than five people
29. Meeting between prime minister Manmohan Singh and chief minister
Prithviraj Chavan in the presence of Union environment minister Jairam
Ramesh over the controversial nuclear power project, the highest-ever
compensation is on the cards for Jaitapur’s farmers.
It has been proposed to acquire 938 hectares for the 10,000 mw nuclear
power project in Jaitapur.
According to Land Acquisition Act, the farmers are eligible for Rs.
50,000/- to Rs.2.5 lakh per hectare. But, in view of the massive
agitation launched by local farmers, it was proposed to enhance the
amount to ` 8-10 lakh.
Now, it has been proposed to offer ` 20-22 lakh.
In addition, NPCIL will provide each family member a job or an
additional compensation of ` 5 lakh.
COMPENSATION TO FARMERS
30. • Earlier, this project was hit by agitation on land acquisition, which
was sort out by Maharashtra government by taking several
administrative steps including framing a new rehabilitation
package to calm down frayed nerves.
• Later, Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan nudged the villagers
back in the area protesting to save environment and fishes in the
coastal area of Maharashtra.
• In this regard, India asked French Nuclear Safety Authority to have
a re-look at the EPR design and suggest modifications if needed.
Department of Atomic Energy received the review report in
January 2012, it was scrutinised by DAE and Atomic Energy
Regulatory Board.
• The wait now is to formal signing of the agreement and Cabinet
approval.
JAITAPUR PLANT AT PRESENT
32. • Most decision makers and investors talk about sustainability and
corporate social responsibility, yet the entire nuclear cycle blatantly
contradicts this. Radioactive contamination routinely occurs
throughout the fuel chain, from uranium mining to processing,
reactor operation to the management of nuclear waste.
• A severe accident of a typical pressurized water nuclear reactor, due
to technical or human failure, could affect many millions of people,
causing tens of thousands of victims and forcing the evacuation of
areas as large as Belgium.
• The nuclear industry has spent the past decade trying to convince
the public and decision makers that, despite its downsides, nuclear
power is needed to tackle the climate crisis. The industry promised
to have learned from past disasters, and that it would offer a clean,
safe, cheap and reliable source of energy. None of these claims is
true.
33. • The 2010 International Energy Agency (IEA) energy scenario
clearly shows that, even if the world were to build 1,300 new
reactors and quadruple nuclear power generation by 2050,
greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by less than 4%. Given
the long planning and construction schedules required, this would
come far too late to meet the imperative to significantly decline
greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and thus prevent climate chaos.
• In addition, implementing the IEA scenario would require $10
trillion US dollars for reactor construction, massively increase the
amount of nuclear waste that we and future generations will have to
deal with, and create enormous proliferation hazards. A single
reactor typically produces several hundred kilograms of plutonium
every year – an amount sufficient for dozens of nuclear of nuclear
weapons.
